The Decision

At first Grandpa Markham hesitated. It might do Maddy a deal of hurt
to go to Aikenside, he said, her humble home would look mean to her
after all that finery, while the temptations to vanity and ambition
would be greater there than at home; but Maddy put all his objections
aside, and long before the doctor came she had written to Mrs. Agnes
that she would go. The doctor could not understand why it was that in
Maddy's home he did not think as well of her going to Aikenside as he
had done the evening previous. She looked so bright, so pure, so
artless, sitting by her grandfather's knee, that it seemed a pity to
transplant her to another soil, while, hidden in his heart where even
he did not know it was hidden, was a fear of what might be the effect
of daily intercourse with Guy. Still he said it was the best thing for
her to do, and laughingly remarked that it was far better than
teaching the district school, and then he asked if she would ride
again that day; but to this Mrs. Markham objected. It was too soon,
she said, Maddy had hardly recovered from yesterday's fatigue,
suggesting that as the doctor was desirous of doing good to his
convalescent patients, he carry out poor old deaf Mary Barnes, who
complained that he stayed so long with the child at "granther
Markham's" as to have but a moment to spare for her.